Demographic research: more visibility for Iford

Emmanuel Djoumessi Nganou, new chairman of the Institute for Demographic Training and Research (IFORD), has stated that he will work towards making the institute well known during his appreciation tour on Thursday in Yaoundé.

Nganou who is also the Minister of Economy, Planning and Regional Planning (Minepat) paid a visit to the University of Yaoundé I campus where he had a talk with students at the administrative center.

A warm welcome was given to him by members of the diplomatic corps and the governing body of Iford. In their respective speeches, the president of the board, Nicolas Ndayishimiye, and Chairperson of the meeting with Iford partners, Gisele Baouanga-Kalou, saluted the new president of the Council of Ministers. They also spoke about the challenges faced by Iford.

Created in 1972, Iford is an inter-governmental organization formerly funded by the United Nations and Cameroon but is now funded by the United Nations Population Fund (Unfpa) since 1992. It has been plagued by financial and infrastructure difficulties for some years. According to Nicolas Ndayishimiye, solutions have been created to make Iford an excellent reference center in Population Sciences for the development of Africa.

Certain measures taken in place for its realization were the adoption of the five-year plan for research and the new medium-term 2014-2018 strategic plan for Iford and securing the program budget and results-based management in 2014. Hence, many expectations have been placed on the chairman of the Council of Ministers.

"I will work on a system for a more functional institute and a new management approach. My mandate will be placed under the symbol of strengthening the staff Iford and more visibility internationally and among member countries, "said Emanuel Nganou Djoumessi.

Djoumessi who was elected in September 2014 and officially installed in April 2015 for a three year term said he was no stranger to the institute. "The Iford is not unfamiliar to me. It is my ministerial department that ensures the administrative supervision of the institute in Cameroon," he said.

The other projects he will undertake will be announced to the institution.